Taliban's New Edict: Women Mustn't Speak in Public, Their 'Intimate' Voice Leads to 'Temptation'

Afghanistan’s Taliban regime has unveiled a new set of stringent laws targeting women, aiming to further restrict their public presence and behavior. The new regulations, announced Wednesday and approved by the Taliban's supreme leader, Hibatullah Akhundzada, mark a significant escalation in the regime’s dehumanization of women.

The recently published 114-page document, which outlines the Taliban's vice and virtue laws, establishes detailed rules about women's conduct. According to the new Article 13, women are required to fully veil their bodies and faces at all times in public. The law mandates that the veil must not be thin, tight, or short to “avoid temptation and tempting others,” as stated by the ministry spokesperson, Maulvi Abdul Ghafar Farooq.

The Taliban's formal declaration of these laws signifies their commitment to implementing Islamic principles through their newly established Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice. This ministry is now tasked with regulating personal conduct and administering punishments for violations, which can range from warnings to arrests.

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Under these new regulations, women’s voices are specifically targeted as “intimate” and must not be heard in public. This prohibition extends to singing, reciting, or reading aloud, effectively silencing women’s voices in public spaces. Additionally, the laws prohibit women from looking at men who are not related to them by blood or marriage, and vice versa. Women are also required to cover themselves in front of non-Muslim males and females to prevent “corruption.”

The new laws also impose restrictions on public life, banning the playing of music, the transportation of solo female travelers, and any mixing of unrelated men and women. Furthermore, the regulations mandate that both passengers and drivers perform prayers five times a day.

The Taliban's move to enforce these laws reflects their ongoing efforts to control every aspect of public and private life in Afghanistan, particularly targeting women and girls. These new measures are expected to further intimidate Afghan women and challenge their struggle for basic rights and freedoms, adding to the already severe restrictions on their education and participation in public life.

As the Taliban's grip tightens, the international community continues to monitor the situation closely, condemning the growing repression of women's rights under the current regime.